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Buckwheat
Blunders & Twists of FateAugust 25

Four new chefs enter the studio, but in the end,
only one will weather the storm of crepes, fritters, and other such uses of
buckwheat in order to collect a check payable for $10,000.

Three rounds, each one has
its own box of mysterious ingredients. Be it a little or a lot, each one must be
used. After each course, the plate will be judged on creativity, presentation,
and taste. The lowest rung on the pole each round gets chopped. These are timed
rounds; strategy is involved. The last chef standing wins $10,000 cash money.

Buckwheat flour is very glutinous, which will
make for a very gummy tuna cake. Mor has a bit of a problem with the food pro,
and now he has a cut on his finger. Rather than do something about it, he is
told by one of Ted's floor judges to do something. The food pro ultimately works
again, so it's tonato time.

Diane's the first to finish... The other chefs
reluctantly follow suit.

And... TIME. It's the first course from the
players... but for one chef, it'll also be the last.

Diane brings it to another place with the aioli.

Simon's salad has a great texture, but the
panelle isn't cooked completely.

Rory's crepe has a simplicity that is inviting.
Unfortunately, one of Rory's hairs is on Alex's plate. Ow...

Mor's wartime experience didn't really translate
well into the kitchen. The cake is good, but his refusal to stop when he is
wounded may cost him some points.

So two people are definitely moving on with Diane
and Rory simple elegance. Simon tried to zig when everyone else zagged. Mor's
bloodshed could very well be the dealbreaker. Who's going in the bin first?
The first person to be chopped... is... SIMON. He took some big risks, but this
one was too big.

It's nice to be a survivor, but it doesn't mean
you're not clinging to the side of the boat.

Ramps (or spring onion or wild leeks) are best
cooked blanched. Mangosteen is a very starchy fruit that tastes and feels like a
reconstituted fig. Diane is planning on mixing the mangosteen with honey and
mustard. But what is she going to do with the pretzels with five minutes to go?
Rory's done with time to clean his plates.

... and TIME. It's all on the judges now.

Rory's dish has a hominess and an earthiness.
Alex calls it once again when she says that everything he didn't know what to do
with he hid in the salad below.

Mor captured the tang of the fruit in the
mustard. The knockwurst also wins raves. Mor also gets caught for double
dipping, that is using a spoon he tasted with to plate.

Diane's sausage is smart, succulent, but Aaron
wanted to see some more ramps. And the pretzels? They're just... there.

Each chef had some issues, but for one, it'll
cost them $10,000. Is it Rory's unsureness? Mor's technique? Diane's laziness?
One thing is for sure... they're all pretty much winging it at this point. The
second person to be chopped.... is... RORY. Soggy pretzels going into a salad
didn't come together.

Round 3: DESSERT (30 minutes). It's the
final basket for the final course... and in it, biscuit dough, pistachios, dried
hibiscus flowers, and oil-cured black olives.

Oil cured olives can be bitter. Hibiscus is used
to infuse some extra flavor.

We have two contrasting styles here. Mor is a
bundle of activity, while Diane has this zen about her. Meanwhile, she's heading
to plate land. And Mor... is double dipping again. This might cost him dearly.
It's the final minute... and Diane is done.

And... TIME. What's on the plates is what the
judges will eat. Diane's not impressed. Mor thinks she's sexy in her dishes.

But what do the judges think?

Mor's black olives is used as salt... and it's
dessert appropriate. Heavy cream blocked any flavor from the pistachio and the
hibiscus. And the issue of the double dipping resurfaces.

Diane's napoleon has that hibiscus flavor, but
the base is pretty much all olives. Alex loves the spiciness of the cream.

Now we're going to go to the arc of their overall
meals. Mor's dishes were composed, but a little sloppy... AND then he double
dipped.... with a bloody hand. Diane used spices to help out her cause, but the
entree was very much the down point.

Two chefs are going to be proud. Only one chef
will be rich. The final chop... goes.... to MOR. He had some nice flavors, but
in the end, sanitation issues aren't worth $10,000...

But being spicy is, as Diane DiMeo has to
schedule a visit to her bank to cash a check for $10,000 as Chopped Champion.

Next time we meet, a special Chopped event... 13
former champions will enter the studio, but only one will have what it takes to
be a superchampion. The others... will be CHOPPED.

To see this episode in its
entirety, or to apply to be a contestant on "Chopped", visit the
official website at
www.foodnetwork.com/chopped.